Cycling

King takes fourth at Cyclocross Nationals

BOULDER, Colo. – The King University cycling team wrapped up their first trip to the Cyclocross Nationals with the men's race on Sunday. Drew Bailey ended up on the podium after a very solid race, and the Tornado finished fourth overall, missing a spot on the podium by just four points.

It was a cold and windy day in Boulder, but that didn't faze Bailey as he took home a fifth place finish in a field of more than 40 riders. Blake Adams also turned in a solid performance for the Tornado on Sunday.

On the second day of Cyclocross Nationals, both Kaysee Armstrong and Megan Rogers competed for the Tornado. Both riders crashed on the first lap, dropping them back in the pack. Armstrong was able to recover to come in with a sixth, narrowly missing the podium, but Rogers was not as fortunate as she finished a lap down.

Both girls crashed in the first lap but both stuck it out and completed the race. Megan had the bike land on her but did not give up and fought through some brake issues to get back on and finish. Kaysee got taken out right at the start by a girl who hit the brakes right in front of her. She went down then and again going over the barriers but recovered after she settled down and ended up just missing out on the podium with a hard earned sixth place finish.

Four members of the King University cycling team qualified for the Cyclocross National Championships which opened with a relay race on Friday in Boulder, Colorado. The Tornado turned in a third place finish among Division II teams, and placed seventh overall.

King's Drew Bailey got the team off to a solid start before Armstrong started to pass riders to move up in the field. Bailey then improved on his first lap before Armstrong carried the team to a third place finish in Division II.

In all, King took fourth place in their first ever trip to the Cyclocross Nationals. However, the Tornado were only four points away from a spot on the podium.

King opens the road season on February 22 when they travel to the University of Florida.